Dress: c/o House of Fraser Studio8 - Coat: New Look -  Shoes: Clarks - Hat: New Look

It feels like Christmas and New Year passed me by in a flash and now I'm back in work and in full swing planning what needs to be done in 2017. The end of the year was very busy and tiring for me, it is always a busy time in the industry I work in so I spent most of my December in leggings and drinking loads of coffee. I'm feeling refreshed after my break over the festive period and fancied making an effort for work and looking a bit more professional as we have a few new starters in the office this week. 

I wore a Studio8 maroon jersey dress for the first day back to work in the new year. It has a faux-wrap front with a V-neckline and short sleeves and is the perfect work appropriate length. Studio 8 is the plus size sister brand of Phase 8 and has the same sense of quality and elegance. They launched in 2015 and the range is currently available in sizes 16-26. This dress is currently in the sale at House of Fraser and makes a great staple item in any workwear wardrobe. Hayley looks amazing in her fringed Studio8 dress which you can see for yourself here.

I'm hoping to expand my workwear collection this year and create a nice little capsule wardrobe. In my previous job in the library I dressed like a student and the work could be pretty manual so clothing was casual. I wasn't really prepared for the switch to an office environment so a few carefully selected smart dresses and pairs of shoes will give me some more options on weekdays. 

I cat above isn't mine and I haven't become a cat lover overnight but Martyn has taken it upon himself to feed all the strays that congregate in our garden and the street behind. Now I have three cats staring at me through the window at any one time meowing for food when I'm making a cuppa. A couple of them are growing on my and I secretly want to take some of them in...

I hope the first week of 2017 hasn't been too taxing for you. I'm heading to Oxford this weekend for a wander around and trying to make the most of my weekend, if you have any recommendations for things to do in the city please let me know in the comments below. 

Finding the perfect party dress which can fill you with confidence, make an impression but also be appropriate if you are partying with colleagues is a tall order. The dress I'm wearing to my office Christmas night out manages to tick all the boxes for me. We wear formal/business wear in work so I feel like this needs to be reflected in my outfit choice. I've opted for a midi length lace dress which is an appropriate length but the lace makes it feel more opulent than my normal work dresses. 

My dress if from the Kaleidoscope party wear range and they had a great selection of dresses to chose from with plenty of sequins, sparkle and embellishments but this intricate lace dress was the one that eventually lured me in. 

Dress: c/o Kaleidoscope - Shoes: New Look - Necklace: Dorothy Perkins - Ring: gift

When i'm wearing a dress and cardigan in work I'm not overly bothered about a sleek silhouette or smooth lines but as this dress is pretty fancy I'll be wearing this waist Maidenfom waistnipper with it. This has the best sucking in power of any shape wear I've ever tried. I might get one in nude for my wedding as my dress is quite floaty and light so this will help to create a lovely shape.

Whether you chose lace, sequins or an LBD I hope you all have a wonderful time at any Christmas parities you may be attending. A big fat Welsh Nadolig Llawen from me!

I know we have only just got past Halloween and Bonfire Night but I have started thinking about Christmas already. I've been buying lots of festive bits for the house as it will be my first Christmas in the house I bought back in March with Martyn. I've also been stocking up the cupboards with Baileys and lebkuchen. It's is also time for me to start thinking about partywear as I've already got a few work parities lined up for the festive period and I'm hoping to host a few parties at my house as it is nearly complete in terms of renovation.

Most of my parties and social occasions tend to take place an hour or so after work. I commute around an hour to work so I'm always getting ready in the bathroom in work rather than rushing home and back. I much prefer wearing something to work and just adding a little more lippy and some sparkly eyeliner to make the look more party appropriate. This Scarlett and Jo dress from Simply Be is perfect as a day-to-night dress and would really pop with some heels and a retro hairdo. 

The skirt has some netting underneath which gives a lovely, full shape. I love the bold colours in the floral pattern as I tend to wear a lot of grey and black in winter which gets a bit dull and repetitive. The sweetheart neckline, elasticated belt waist and three quarter length sleeves are all super flattering on my shape and I feel really comfortable in this dress. The dress comes in saes 12-32 and in a few colour and pattern options (I'm loving this one).

Dress: c/o Simply Be

Shoes: Mel similar here

I wore this dress on a rare day off together with Martyn, we went to visit my family and my beautiful baby Sookie the labrador and had a date night including a glass (or three) of wine. This will definitely be my go-to date night dress and going for drinks with the girls dress this winter. 

Isn't she a beaut?!

Have you got your eye on any partywear at the moment? I'm still on the look out for some festive dresses to wear on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and a new winter coat because my one from last year is looking a little tired.

The dress was provided by Simply Be but all opinions are my own.

About 90% of my wardrobe is navy blue or black and you'll normally find my legs covered in 100 denier tights or leggings so this is a pretty wild look for me. Coral and bare legs! I wore this dress to a friends wedding a couple of weeks ago and felt suitable dressy and ladylike (the skirt is perfect for dance floor swishing) but I think this would be equally as good as a work dress with smart jacket. On a side note, I think 'Operation Grow Hair for Wedding' is going pretty well.

I'm currently feeling a little sorry for myself on the sofa with the sniffles and not feeling remotely glamorous at all like I did in the dress above.  I've got all my guide books out and a cup of tea and I'm planning my trip to Berlin with Martyn in a couple of weeks time. If you have any Berlin tips please leave some in the comments section below.

Curvissa has been around for five years now and have constantly been offering some great plus size clothing collections. My denim pinafore dress from Curvissa is one of my all time favourite wardrobe additional so I was exciting when Curvissa set me a little challenge – to style an item from their holiday range three ways. 

Now this was an interesting challenge for me because I wear black all year round, rarely rock a casual look as dressing up is my thing and I'm more of a city break girl than relaxing on a beach type of girl.

Rather than opting for a beach style dress that I could only wear once or twice a year I opted for this classic striped little number from the Holiday section. It's a jersey material so perfect for rolling up and packing in your suitcase. It's just the right length to wear on its own or over some leggings or jeans and you really can't go wrong with stripes, the nautical trend never dies. I would recommend sizing up once or twice in this as the shift shape of the dress isn't as roomy as a skater style.

This is look number 1 and is how I wore the dress on my holiday to Austria. I made the dress a little more practical by pairing it with leggings as we spent most of time time up a mountain or or a cable car. 

It feels like I haven't done much recently because my focus (and money) has all gone on the new house but I went to see the American Idiot musical on Friday, visited friends in Eastleigh yesterday and I've got a early 40th birthday trip to Liverpool planned for Martyn and a Manics gig both coming up next month so lots to look forward to.

A meal out and going to watch the musical was a bit of a date night for me and Martyn so I made an effort and put my glad rags on. You have to look smart if you're going to the theatre dahling, right? The cast of the show were great (including Amelia Lily) and it made a nice change to the more traditional musicals I'm a fan of but was a bit more in keeping with Martyn's musical taste. Really looking forward to the next show that I have booked which is Billy Elliot.

All of my time online is spent looking at wedding venues and pinning bedroom inspiration so I've not done any online shopping for dresses for aaaages and I've been wearing the same ten dresses on rotation which can get a little dull so I was super excited then this polka dot number was delivered. I've worn this Wallis dress from House of Fraser a handful of times including on my date night and I've only had it for just over a week. It is definitely my new favourite and a nice summery addition to my wardrobe. I'll be wearing this in the summer with sandals and a denim jacket and to work with a cardigan. 

Are you a polka dot fan? I must have at least 5 polka dot dresses, one more can't hurt ;)

      

Have you heard of Dolly And Dotty? I have to admit that I hadn't until recently because all things relating to the new house and the engagement had held my focus and I tend to stick to the same old brands. Dolly and Dotty stock some really cute and affordable retro style dresses in sizes 6-24. There is so much to chose from on their website with bold tartan prints, polka dots, cherries and florals. With all the options I was a bit bamboozled but I eventually settled on the Hyacinth swing dress. It's got a timeless 50s shape with a really full skirt and a belt which nips you in at the waist to complete the 50s look. 

This dress hung so nicely, it is made of a heavy cotton and is fully lined which makes it feel far more expensive than its £24.99 price tag. I've worn this dress out for a special occasion with a very full net underskirt and I was so huge I could barley get my skirt through the door, perfect for swooshing about and feeling fresh out of Rydell High. Typically I have to size up when ordering from vintage/retro type online retailers as I find them a bit skimpy and clingy but Dolly and Dotty were true to size and the material felt natural and breathable. I've now got my eye on the rather gorgeous Lillian dress because I love this one so much and will be adding it to my collection once I've paid for boring things like electricians and shed for the new house. 

Dress: c/o Bon Prix - Necklace: Punky Pins - Shoes: New Look

Even though I spend Christmas at home and don't really have visitors I still like to make a bit of an effort and wear something fun. I'm in work most of the time and don't really go on nights out anymore (much prefer a night in with some tea and a movie in my old age) so it's nice to have a reason to get dressed up. This year I'm going to be wearing this lovely dress in festive red with some added sparkle from the Bon Prix party wear range. It's available on next day delivery so still time to get one for yourself before Christmas but I recommend sizing up if you're full across the top. I've also spotted Perelandra wearing a shimmery Bon Prix number and looking smoking hot. 

Do you like to get dressed up at Christmas or do you spend a whole week in your PJs?

I shared a post this time last week on A/W trends and my top picks that are available on the high street at the moment. Browsing all these lovely items online and sharing them on this blog inspired me to take on the trends myself and I combined the 70s and furry trends that seem to be everywhere at the moment. I definitely wasn't going to brave high waisted trousers or a polo neck jumper and suede skirts and boots are no good in South Wales because of all the rain so I chose 70s outerwear for a more subtle and wearable take on this trend. 

I picked up all of my items from St David's in Cardiff (you can read their blog here) and the majority of them came from the New Look Inspire section. I never wear hats and most of my coats are black, waterproof and very practical so I felt like my 70s outfit was a big departure from my normal style. Despite feeling like I stuck out like a sore thumb walking around Newport I also felt very chic and friends a family complimented my new outfit. What do you think?

I've been pretty active on Pinterest recently and created a board with some of my favourite items that fit in with the key fashion trends which you can check out here if you fancy it. There's also lots of homeware pinning going on at the moment because I'm house hunting. Very exciting but also a little draining. Wish me luck!

Jord focus on creating timepieces that are modelled after a modern lifestyle. They value sustainability and efficiency and make their watches for people who don't just have somewhere to be, they have somewhere to go. This ethos prompted me to get up and go and explore my local area, connect with the outdoors and make the most of my day off instead of staying in and watching junk TV.

I headed to the RSBP Wetlands in Newport and I think my watch blended in with the surroundings beautifully. Cetti's warblers and bearded tits can be seen and heard in the reedbeds, and ducks, geese and swans visit the reserve in large numbers during the winter. There are spectacular views of the Severn estuary all year round.

I love the understated design of my watch and this looks great with a casual outfit or can be a focal point with a simple and modern outfit. The watch I'm wearing is the Jord Fieldcrest made from a soft coloured Maple. It's surprising light for a watch that is made from wood and makes a real statement, I've had lots of compliments whenever I wear it as it's so unusual and unique. It also makes a beautiful alternative to the severe black band of the Daniel Wellington watch I wear on most days or my more dainty watches. I like the idea that all the watches are unique and the grain of the wood will be slightly different on each watch. 

Are you a watch wearer? Let me know what you think about my Jord watch in the comments below.
Mens Wooden Watches

Everyone needs a little black dress, right? The Little Black Dress has a lot of history but its impact really began to spread in 1926 after Coco Chanel published her little black dress design in American Vogue, effectively making it an iconic and versatile addition to every woman’s wardrobe. I've already got a few LBDs in my wardrobe but this one has a bardot neckline and I didn't have one of those... You can never have too many in my opinion. 

I've definitely got a lot of wear out of this dress, wearing it for work, shopping trips and a night at the theatre. I know I'm late to the whole bardot neckline trend that happened last year but I'm glad I caught on in the end. I'm even eyeing up this red dress from Pink Clove with the same neckline for Christmas parties which I've seen Rosie look amazing in over on her blog.

These photos were taken in the former grounds of Cardiff Castle, Bute Park. It is a grade-1 listed historic landscape and in 1947, the fifth Marquess of Bute gifted the park to the people of Cardiff, and it is now managed on behalf of the people by the Council. The park contains some rare and ornamental trees including some “Champion Trees” known to be the biggest examples of their species anywhere in the UK.

It was lovely to enjoy a afternoon out with a stroll in the park and a spot of tea and cake. I've been doing some extra shifts in work during the Rugby World Cup and I'll be glad when it is all over. Weather permitting I will be enjoying a rest day in Swansea as this post goes live and cycling to Mumbles.